What to bring for the families - stayin at riu

emmadunn22 · #1 10-09-2009, 11:00 AM

Hi

Im going to the dr on 7th nov and doing the outback safari with isaira tours. We have done a few of these type trips in the past on brought sweets, small toys and toothbrushes and toothpaste to give out. Can anyone help me with what else the people need - i am determind to travel light and have suitcase space and would like to bring things that are really needed by the dr people and where is best to leave them so that they get to those who really need them.

Thanks
Emma

Millesa · #2 10-09-2009, 11:55 AM

Hi Emma. We brought lots of school supplies, marbles, hair clips for the girls (the girls were thrilled)

Have fun

rilen · #3 10-09-2009, 12:06 PM

Hi Emma,

The best thing to take would be school supplies, books, pencils etc, sweets is also good, but so are toiletries, what you have to remember though, is that most of the children will try and sell these goods to make them selves a bit of money, some are not so ungrateful, but imagine how many tourists go on the same route of jeep safari everyday,

some have more than others, they also fight over it, and the children actually in need dont get anything, if you wanted to actually help the children, the best thing to do with your money is to go to "checkpoint" which is a bar located in sosua, if you donate them money, they make sure it goes to children that need or want schooling and a better life in DR,

im sure theres plenty of other places to donate your money for the people of DR but this is the only one i really know of, that brings out great results.

I might sound a bit harsh with the first paragraph, but as you may or may not have noticed is that every hotel is packed with dominicans over the weekend, when i went a couple of months ago i seen the same children i have given clothes at the hotel on the weekend, and the cheeky bastards were wearing the stuff i give them, fair enough there wearing it, but where on earth do you think the familys get the money to stay at the all-inclusive hotel for a weekend, as a regular visitor to the DR i have seen this happen many times before, dont fool for it, and give them things they cant sell, or get very little money for.

Sorry about the essay i have written, but think a bit more before you go giving money away!

emmadunn22 · #4 10-10-2009, 07:27 AM

thats great thanks - the last 2 years we have done the monster truck with thomas cook and gone to the same place with the same children - they say they do vary it but i was unsure! thanks again - pens, pencils and books it is!

rilen - is it best to take these on the tour or to another place where they can make sure those that get them do need them - ie the place in sousa you mentioned?

emma

rilen · #5 10-10-2009, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pig

Your best bet is to take them diectly to one of the orphanages. The stageshow gig by the kids up on the monster truck n so on get more than enough stay taken for them, and probably get more treats than the average kid living down the bottom of any ones street in the UK or US. This will not help getting them out of the rutt they are in about working for a living, getting things for free from an early age (the new generation or motoconcho hustlers).
Somer of the kids aren't allowed to go to school or it is not forced by parents and you can see them along the sides of the roads occasionally feeling rather left out after knowing some other kids have just been treated because they are at the school, I'd throw a few pencils and pads out at them, at least give them a chance to colour by numbers or begin to understand how to read and write.
Like I said above though, if I was you I'd take everthing and go and visit an orphanage, there you know all the kids are tret fairly and no bullyinging.

For me, the monster truck kids are the newer generation of Dominican kids having early learning lessons on getting stuff out of tourists for free and where they first learn whiteman is a free ticket, and then we all know it just grows into a way of life for some of them.

It probably sounds tough, but it doesn't take alot of working out, IMO.

Yeah, "checkpoint" is really good though because they one to one with children, and see what situation there in, they pay for schooling and equipment with the donations they get from tourists and other people.

emmadunn22 · #6 10-10-2009, 11:46 AM

Thats great guys thanks - the kids at the monster truck seemed to expect gifts and toys and there faces when they didnt get what they want!!! Never thought of an orphanages thou my spanish is still very basic dispite night school - taking a long time for me to get it!! so dont know if i would be able to communicate with them thou thankyou for your help - i want to get to know the real dr - we currently have our house for sale in the uk and hope to move abroad in 5 years or so and i have reallin fallen for the country - just need to get my other half away from the 5 star hotel and see the real dr

emma

rilen · #7 10-10-2009, 06:44 PM

Good words pig

i remember some guy called Andre that used to work at eddys sports bar, when it was actually eddys now i think hes at the liquor store or something, anyway andre used to cook the kids food if they went to school. but would only cook it for those who actually bothered....

But yeah checkpoint are really good, i have donated there so many times!

Dont ever get a shoe shine either or anything like that, i personally think its quite demoralising for the youngster doing it mainly with "herman the germans" or just plain old gringo, and then after all that hard work, the police get the money from the haitian children and fuel the money into drug crime...

Not that the DR is bad anyway at all, they have a different culture, way of life, and this is how this country has been bought up..

p.s take the mobile phones away, haha they didnt exist 4 years ago in the DR, now they all have them, just such an unhealthy "western effect"

Donate good was what i was trying to get accross anyway

:P